Saxony-Anhalt continues to fight: forest fires threaten our nature!

Saxony-Anhalt continues to fight: forest fires threaten our nature!

In Germany, a pleasant trend is evident: the number of forest fires has decreased in recent years. The focus is particularly on Saxony-Anhalt, which still suffers greatly from these natural events. According to the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food, 39 fires were registered there in 2023 on an area of ​​39 hectares. This is a small ray of hope, because nationwide the total number of forest fires fell to 563, compared to 1,059 in 2023. A humid summer with high temperatures and many showers is considered the reason for this decline in the fires, like TAG24.de reported.

The Situation, however, makes you look at: for 2024 it is forecast that a forest area the size of the New York Central Park of the flame could fall victim to. While deciduous trees were particularly affected with 241 hectares, the conifers with only 93 hectares have a lower loss surface. A trend that is an important warning for both foresters and the population.

long -term trends and challenges

The recording of forest fire data has a long history in Germany. Since the 1970s, statistics have been merged nationwide that include information on area sizes, causes and losses. This data is crucial to take preventive measures. Forest fires are not only a threat to nature, but also influence the stability of the forest ecosystems. Different types of fires can cause different damage and cause costs. The financial damage caused by forest fires in 2023 was an average of 1.19 million euros, which, in view of the affected areas, can be considered to be somewhat within the framework, as the Federal Environment Agency announced.

The regional distribution of the forest fires shows striking patterns. In Brandenburg, for example, most of the fires were recorded, while Saxony and Lower Saxony are also affected. In the Jüterbog region, a former military training area, more than half of the fire area of ​​Germany was recorded. However, the causes are often unclear, because 51 % of the forest fires from 2023 was not determined. Human action is responsible for around 40 % of cases, which includes careless behavior in particular.

pay attention to the dangers

The forest fire season has extended significantly in recent years and now ranges from May to autumn. It is therefore essential to take the dangers seriously. The condition of the forests has a direct impact on the risk of forest fire. Young, light needle forests with dense undergrowth are particularly susceptible. In order to counteract this, the conversion of needle tree monocultures into mixer -shaped forests with a high level of hardwood is recommended by experts. This could not only have a preventive effect, but also contribute to the stability of the forest ecosystems, as the statistics of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

summarized it is shown that the challenges in dealing with forest fires continue to exist, the decline in the fires in Germany is a positive sign. It is to be hoped that the coming years will be blessed with a stable and responsible handling of our forests.